


Lovely and Loved

by Missy



Category: Little Women - Louisa May Alcott, Little Women Series - Louisa May Alcott
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 09:26:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2846072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/pseuds/Missy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amy's almost ready to give birth to her first child, and she marvels on her luck during a typical day at the Laurence house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lovely and Loved

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hesychasm (Jintian)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jintian/gifts).



Amy Laurence frowned as she bent closer to the pier glass which occupied one corner of the bathroom in the stately house she shared with her husband. What she saw would have horrified her vain little seven-year-old self; a round, merry face, ripened with pregnancy, and a belly swollen by same. The current Amy, the modern Amy, just smiled proudly at the picture she made, but couldn’t resist wiggling the tip of her nose against her index finger. It remained the same, stubbornly refusing to turn upward. Even though she didn’t believe in those long-ago beauty treatments she’d tried, she still prodded at her body as a form of ritual. Still, no fingertip, nor no clothespin, had managed to give her nose the correct amount of fashionable pertness. 

That was for the best, she knew; she’d much rather focus on the present. She patted her stomach, aware of the fact that the future was coming faster than she anticipated. No, there was no doubt about it – the first Lawrence heir was on the way. Not that that was much of a secret now.

Laurie had been so excited he’d swung her in dizzying circles. They’d told the family before her belly had begun to round, and their excitement had raised a near frenzy. Daisy and Demi were nearly four, and with Jo’s Teddy now two Marmee yearned for more babes in the house. Amy had fulfilled that desire and the joy she received in return seemed to double in her. Throughout her young life, Amy had never had been the domestic one, the nurturing one - and now she found herself living in an opulent mansionette, ordering servants about, trying to raise children.

She rose from the bath with a bone-weary groan. It was time to stop dwelling on the future when the present was so ripe with joy; for Jo would be coming up from Plumfield for tea this afternoon, and Amy would never be able to resist the lively company of her sister.

 

***

 

Jo let out a long, deep sigh of relief as she got off her feet and reached eagerly for the warm pot of tea Amy held. “Marvelous job with lunch, Amy. Bang-up,” she added, rubbing her belly. 

“I wish I could take the credit,” Amy said, “but it’s all Cook’s doing.” Amy still wasn’t used to having help in the house, absurdly enough; while their mother had always had the assistance of Hannah, she’d always seemed part of the family, not simply an employee. None of the Laurence’s servants had quite grabbed Amy’s heart so thoroughly, perhaps because Amy and Laurie required a staff of four to keep the house running, if only because of the largesse of their enterprises. Amy still didn’t know how Jo and Frederich managed those boys with only a handful of their own helpers.

“I ought to take a lesson from her,” said Jo ruefully. “Last Saturday I ruined an entire loaf of bread because I had to mediate a brawl between Nat and Dan.”

“Have those boys finally worn you ragged, Jo dear?” teases Amy.

Her sister laughs merrily, her eyes sparkling. “My little hellions are running my back sore, but ragged? Not I, not yet. And you, Amy?”

“My back aches fiercely, but the doctor says that’s supposed to happen to a lady in my condition. But poor Laurie runs to the doctor whenever I hiccup.” And Amy had found that somewhat trying, though she understood his need for reassurance. 

“Poor Teddy indeed,” remarked Jo. “I’ve tried to tell you both it’s all normal. You’d know if there were something wrong.”

“You’d think he’d trust us.” Between Jo, Meg and Marmee Amy has twenty years of childbirthing experience at her fingertips, though as a consultation force her older sister served more as a guiding, calmative diviner, an island of order in the chaos. Meg and Marmee had kept Jo comfortable and merry in her pregnancy, and now that it was Amy’s turn the sisterhood has closed ranks around her.

“Dear devoted ones are the worst in these situations,” Jo said. She spoke from experience; Frederich had been no help during her travails. 

“It will remain to be seen,” Amy said. “Meantimes, I do need to show you what I’ve drawn, sister. I’m particularly proud of this latest set of etchings.”

“Once I’ve had more tea I’ll be delighted. Maybe another macaron and a slice of cake. We ought to take a walk after we finish – don’t want to get cramps, do we?”

“Is that safe?” Amy worried.

Jo squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to treat yourself like a vase, even this late.”

Amy wondered if there was any snow left over outside from the last fall, and if her sister would mind overmuch having a snowball fight with a woman in her condition. It wouldn’t be proper but it would be fun. And at that thought she grinned.

 

***

 

The snowman grinning at Amy from her canvas seemed a little too bleary for her. “I think I’ve gotten his nose too red.” Her eyebrows knit. “He looks like a drunken fool.”

Laurie chortled as he entered the room; she felt the heat of his body behind her and her spine melted slowly against his grip. “I think it’s a fine rendition of our favorite snow gentleman,” her husband said. The tips of his fingers lace over the swell of her belly. “Keep this up and you’ll be hung in galleries all over the world.” Only after praising its mother did he dare praise the baby. “Is the baby all right?”

“Kicking away, and feeling healthy and strong while they’re at it.” She let out a sigh. “Remember my fondness for pickled limes?” her nose wrinkled, much as it had when she was a winsome seven year old who dreamed of being a grand actress. “I’m afraid I’ve got a craving for them.”

He pecked her cheek. “You will have all you desire and more, my dear.”

Amy’s heart fluttered in her breast. Tonight they’ll have supper together, tonight he’ll walk her up to their beautiful bedroom and hold her to his heart and oh, will she walk in a garden of delight! Her artistic heart settled in the palm of his hand - she didn’t wish for a life on the stage, at her easel, or anywhere but in her beautiful home – simply because all of the stings ever delivered to her turn miniscule when Laurie held her.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope this was just fluffy enough for you!


End file.
